Stay
by Sode no Shirayuki1411
Summary: Erica Solt isn't really sure what she's doing. But is she ever? All she knows is that her to-do list for this week is long, she has to find a job, stop a gang-war, take care of an injured child, tell the man she likes she's pregnant with his child and maybe find out her love isn't as one-sided as she thought. Shouldn't be so hard, right? Kouske Fujishima x fem!Eric Solt.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone, here's my new story.**

 **If Blade, my reviewer from Somebody to Die For is reading this then the answer is yes. I will be writing stories about all of the minor characters.**

 **Not much else to say, this is a Fujishima x fem!Eric story set in the same universe as Don't wanna be your enemy and Somebody to die for but you don't have to read those first to understand this.**

 **That's all folks, I own nothing. Please enjoy.**

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Chapter 1: Unable to say

* * *

Erica Solt hung back as she watched through jealous blue eyes as Kouske Fujishima showed two giggling young women to a seat by the bar. The women were mostly here for Kamamoto since it was mid-spring but that didn't stop jealousy from coursing through Erica when she saw the appreciative looks thrown Kouske's way when the girls realized that the other males in the bar were not too bad themselves.

Chitose was plainly not interested, he sat at the bar holding the hand of a three-and-a-half months pregnant Masaomi and as far as he was concerned, she was the only woman in the room.

Shouhei had only ever had eyes for San-chan, whether she noticed or not (and Shouhei and San-chan weren't even here anyway, they'd stopped coming around very often as had Masaomi and Chitose who had just picked today to pop by), and Izumo was polite and friendly, but that was all.

So the eyes not glued to Kamamoto fell on Kouske and Erica was almost growling as she watched from her corner, leaning against the wall.

Normally she wouldn't be like this, Erica was a lot of things and yes, some of them were not too nice, but jealous? Hardly.

So she liked Kouske, if someone else did too that was no reason to hate them, and if he liked another girl back then that was good for them. It would make Erica sad but it was no reason to get angry.

No, it was something else that had her so agitated –though this certainly wasn't helping! Kouske's forgetfulness was what was bothering her.

The other girls on top of that, well, that was just icing on top of a cake.

At the thought of cake Erica's stomach lurched and she felt nauseous.

Towards the beginning of the month Izumo Kusanagi had celebrated his 27th birthday. And Erica and Yata, as pretty much the only people who still hung around HOMRA (Erica because she had nowhere else to go and Yata because she refused to go anywhere else) had celebrated with him.

Yata hadn't been old enough to drink and there was no way Mr. Kusanagi would let her drink underage so the idea of celebrating in a bar was kind of wasted on Yata. But Erica had turned twenty last month and she'd had a few drinks.

Neither of them had wanted Kusanagi to be alone on his birthday, it didn't matter how they celebrated, or even if they just sat around talking, which was mostly what they did.

And when Erica met up with Kouske later that night she'd had a few more drinks too. So had he.

Problem? A few, plus a few equaled a lot.

And, Erica sighed, how cliché, after losing a few boundaries she and Kouske ended up sleeping together.

That was twenty days ago, five days ago some stupid know-it-all test had confirmed for Erica what she already knew.

She was pregnant.

And that's why you should never get drunk kids. Drinking? Fine. Getting _drunk?_ Not fine!

Erica banged the back of her head against the wall, cursing softly in English. Masaomi glanced at her over Chitose's shoulder but when Erica didn't acknowledge her look she turned her attention back to her boyfriend of four months.

The next morning Erica, hung over and highly embarrassed by her loss in control the previous night, grabbed her clothes and bolted from Kouske's apartment. She spent the rest of the morning banging her head against a tree in a park and cursing her own idiocy as well as a flock of birds who kept getting under her feet.

Unprotected sex was bad enough and the first thing Erica did (after cussing herself out at the park) was go and get herself checked for STDs. Thankfully nothing.

Then she had tried bringing up last night with Kouske himself, mumbling while staring at the ground her hands shoved in her pockets.

And the bastard had the nerve to rub the back of his head with his hand, an ashamed blush on his face and tell her that he had drunk so much he didn't remember much of last night and hoped she had gotten home alright.

Erica had shoved him into a nearby fence and stormed off, muttering darkly to herself.

Even now, just thinking about it, tears pricked her pale eyes, well that night obviously hadn't meant as much to Kouske as it had to her.

So Erica naively thought that was the worst of it. That, as stupid and as bad as that was, it wouldn't get any worse.

She should have known better by now.

So yeah, Erica was screwed. Literally. It was bad enough that she had absolutely no experience with babies (and the only person she knew who did was only a few months ahead of her and didn't like her) but she had no job, no home of her own, no biological family and her only support system had disbanded after the death of their King.

Should she tell Kouske? Erica huffed out a breath, even if he _didn't_ like Erica the way she liked him this was _Kouske Fujishima_ they were talking about, he'd want to have a hand in his own son's life.

It was a son. Erica knew that.

Logically she knew there was no way she could just _tell_ what the gender of the baby was but she was this child's _mother._ It was a boy, she was sure of it.

But either way! She knew Kouske would want to be part of his child's life and to be with her through this experience.

Heck, even if it _wasn't_ his baby and he had nothing to do with it, Kouske would never abandon her when she needed help.

Huh, that wasn't actually a terrible idea. Even if he found out she was pregnant he didn't have to know _he_ was the father. Normally he'd be able to connect the dots, they'd slept together, Erica didn't exactly have an active sex life, and now she was pregnant. But it wasn't _her_ fault he couldn't remember. Served him right!

She'd had just as much to drink as he had but _she_ still remembered!

But she still didn't want to tell him, she didn't want to tell anyone. _She_ wasn't over the news yet, she certainly wasn't ready to share it with others.

But, Erica sighed, she really needed help.

Because the person she was living with was Kouske! She didn't have a house of her own, for most of her life she hadn't even been treated like a human being, Mr. Kusanagi and Miss... Miss Totsuka had been teaching her things and getting her used to the outside world but it was definitely still a work in progress.

And if she wanted to keep what was happening a secret from Kouske, at least for now, she was going to have to be living somewhere else.

Erica had lied and said she had a mild stomach bug which always made her feel sick when she first woke up to explain the occasional mid-morning vomiting and nausea but Kouske wasn't an idiot and was going to figure it out sooner or later.

She needed somewhere to stay that _wasn't_ with Kouske until she managed to find a job and had enough money to find an apartment of her own. But that was hard enough for regular people. Erica wasn't a regular person. She was a woman, barely twenty, hadn't been trained, had any previous jobs or experience or finished high school. Or middle school for that matter. Or elementary school!

Erica scrubbed her hands across her face in frustration. Damn she needed a drink! And because she was pregnant she couldn't even drink!

This _sucked._

If she asked him Mr. Kusanagi would probably give her a job, but out of everyone she knew he was probably the person who'd figure her out the quickest. Except for Anna. Erica was avoiding Anna. The young girl would probably have enough tact to keep her mouth shut, but why take the risk? And Mr. Kusanagi had been talking about going to Germany in June or July so he wouldn't be here for much longer. anyway

And to be honest Erica didn't really want to be around the other members of HOMRA and she could tell that most of them felt the same. Everyone but the inner circle of HOMRA no longer visited the bar. And even their highest members, her closest friends were drifting away.

Masaomi and Chitose rarely visited now, with their King and Totsuka gone there was no one to keep them there apparently. Erica couldn't really hold that against them, they were together now and starting a family, if they wanted to walk away she couldn't really blame them.

It still hurt though.

Kamamoto and Yata still hung around a lot though Kamamoto mostly stuck around for Anna and the work he occasionally did at the bar.

Shouhei, who'd always been a well-adjusted young man with a steady job with computers had stopped showing up much too. San-chan, who'd been with HOMRA the longest, save the first three, still hung around a fair bit. But even she was showing up less and less nowadays.

Kouske, who'd also been around for a while, rarely showed up, and if he did it was only for a little while to help out when the bar was busy or he was looking for Erica.

The whole thing made her want to cry and break something at the same time.

Erica turned her face away from the bar in front of her and, when Kouske wasn't looking, she left.

Out on the street, where it was less hot and stuffy, Erica started to feel better; the unsettled feeling in her stomach went away-mostly.

It wasn't just her physical self that felt better, she started to feel more optimistic, she'd already started to look for jobs, she'd find something. And wasn't there some sort of government support she could get? Erica knew very little about that sort of thing but it was worth looking into.

For now she pulled out the cheap mobile phone Kouske had bought her and called San-chan.

"Can I stay with you for a while?" She asked San-chan, without saying hello, San-chan never bothered with greetings, they hadn't spoken in a while but Erica knew she would always be able to depend on the older woman, they would always be friends even if they could no longer be family.

"Sure." Said the black-haired woman curtly, "just don't slam the door coming and going. I hate that."

She hung up, Erica smiled, she couldn't help it, that was one of the things she liked the most about San-chan, she didn't ask questions.

* * *

Erica snuck back to Kouske's apartment, _his_ apartment, she told herself sternly, to get her some of her clothes, toothbrush, etc. Lately she had come to think of it as _their_ apartment but the cold hard fact of the matter was that it was _his_ apartment and not hers.

Erica wasn't sure why she was sneaking, Kouske was still at HOMRA with the others. And those other girls, she rolled her eyes.

When she dumped her stuff in the spare room at San-chan's rather spacious apartment (and what did she do for a living exactly?) Erica was overcome with panic.

 _What the hell am I doing?_ She wondered, _I can't take care of a baby! I can't take care of_ myself! _What makes me think I can do this?_ She asked herself.

"You okay?" Erica became aware San-chan had come to lean against the doorframe and was watching her from the doorway. "You just went white all of a sudden."

Erica shoved her hands into the pocket of her hoodie as she often did when she was stressed or embarrassed or hiding something, or all three.

"I'm fine," she muttered.

San-chan studied her for a minute but, as Erica had noticed earlier, she didn't ask any questions, "if you say so."

Because she was just hanging around the house today and it was relatively warm San-chan didn't have her usual, shirt-vest-hoodie-hat combination on. She still wore her huge shades, apparently her eyes were very light-sensitive, or maybe she just thought they made her look cool but she was wearing just a simple black shirt and grey sweatpants.

Her long black hair wasn't pulled back into a bun as usual; instead it cascaded around her body, all the way down to the middle of her back in silky, rippling waves that lots of women would cheerfully kill for, the frayed red ribbon she usually used to tie it up was in a bow around her slender wrist. She wasn't wearing any makeup but her skin was flawless as usual and her full lips were still a perfect shade of blood red.

Looking at her Eric felt an unexpected pang of sorrow; San-chan was easily the most beautiful woman Erica knew (except for the Blue King who probably wasn't even human), what was she doing sitting around in her house all day alone except for Erica?

"You need to get out more," she told the other woman.

San-chan huffed, more amused than perplexed by the subject change, "you're one to talk, if it were up to you you'd never leave that apartment. You only get out because Kouske makes you."

The fact that once upon a time Erica would have gotten out of the house on her own to go to HOMRA but didn't do that as much anymore went unsaid between them but they both knew the words were there.

Erica almost smiled, "Kouske didn't make me leave now, I did this on my own." It occurred to her that this may be San-chan's way of very subtly trying to find out why Erica was staying with her but San-chan didn't press.

When she didn't answer Erica put the last of her stuff away and chucked her small backpack under the bed. "Thanks for letting me stay," she murmured, "I'm going for a walk. I won't slam the door."

When she walked to the doorway San-chan switched spots with her and went to sit on the bed, "fine. I'm staying here. I'm just going to relax today. Though if you want me to go with you as support while you tell Kouske you're pregnant, we can do that too."

 _What!  
_

Erica whirled around, "how do you know?!" She demanded.

San-chan smirked one of her signature smirks that always made anyone who saw them want to punch her, "you told me. Just then."

"I started _suspecting_ you," she continued when Erica spluttered, "a few minutes ago. Since you're doing the exact same things Masaomi was doing four months ago."

She ticked them off on her fingers, "getting nauseous and vomiting, avoiding the guy you're in love with inexplicably, panicking randomly and insisting nothing's wrong and lastly, hiding out in my house so your man won't have to find out." Well damn, when had San-chan become a psychoanalyst? And damn Masaomi for being San-chan's best friend and allowing her to witness all this the first time around.

"Don't tell him," was all Erica could think to say.

San-chan flopped back onto the bed, "as if! That's up to you. But if you need me, I'm here."

"Thanks," said Erica quietly, not good with feelings and touched by the unexpected words.

Erica left for her walk without saying anything else, she really didn't know what to say, she was still getting used to the whole being-able-to-depend-on-other-people-thing and San-chan wasn't particularly good with feelings either and was probably equally exhausted by the strain that came with being sentimental and nice.

Erica did realize that if _San-chan,_ who wasn't exactly known for her great detective skills, figured her out so quickly she was probably out of luck when it came to hiding it from everyone else. So it looked like avoiding anyone and everyone she knew was the plan now.

"I'm sorry!" Erica heard a child's voice, it sounded like a young boy's, whimper.

She turned the corner into a dimly lit ally as a man's voice growled, "you will be!" Further down the alley Erica saw a small child of eight or nine curled up in a foetal position as a burly man aimed a kick at his head.

The scene looked so much like one from her childhood that for a second Erica saw red, she was striding down the alley yelling 'hey!' before her mind caught up with her body and her mouth.

Shit! She couldn't keep acting impulsively anymore! She wasn't just looking out for herself now, she had her baby to worry about too!

Erica wasn't sure how to handle a baby but she certainly wasn't getting rid of it either, for women who wanted to have abortions or put their child up for adoption that was fine, that was their own choice, but already Erica felt an overwhelming love for her unborn child, she would never get rid of him. So naturally she would never allow him to be harmed, either.

But it was only one guy, and he was just a random thug.

"Mind your own business lady!" The man snarled and Erica could tell he had been drinking, the stench was strong enough that she could smell it a meter away.

Erica glanced at the boy, he was covered in bruises and wounds. Some of them were recent and some of them were old, this had been going on for a while.

"Tell me he's not your son," she said, keeping her voice mild.

The man spat at her feet, "of course not! Just some useless brat our gang took in after his useless parents died."

The words pierced Erica's chest like a knife, this wasn't _like_ a scene from her childhood, this _was_ a scene from her childhood.

She couldn't just leave him here.

* * *

 **Done! Let me know what you think guys!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone, here's the new chapter.**

 **Many thanks to everyone who read and especially my beloved reviewers; my best friend viexon and my dear RavenGal. Thank you both so much XD**

 **Yes, not drinking for nine months is sad and RavenGal; I'm glad you liked it! XD**

 **Also a special thank-you to Depressedxdreamer for following. You rule!**

 **Other than that, not much to say. Hope you enjoy guys, I own nothing.**

 **Here's chapter 2.**

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Chapter 2: Getting a handle on things

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Her touch gentler than Erica had even known it could be she smoothed a lock of wet hair back from the boy's forehead.

"Can you tell me your name?" Asked San-chan, looking slightly awkward, she wasn't the best with children. Or people in general for that matter.

Erica started to withdraw her hand but before she could the young boy reached up and gripped it in both of his, he squeezed it gently as if saying thank-you and then let it go.

"Kouyuu," he said finally, "it's Kouyuu."

He blinked and awareness seemed to come back into his eyes. Before he'd been in a bit of a daze, Erica hadn't been too surprised, he had just been beaten _(again,_ from the look of it) and watched Erica chase the man who had been beating him down the street throwing bits of fire at him. That was enough to shock anyone, she supposed.

After that she'd coaxed the boy back to Bandou's and they'd managed to see to the boy's injuries, get him showered, fed and calm and were now all sitting on the couch together. And they'd done a pretty good job too, Erica thought, they hadn't killed the boy or anything, maybe she and San-chan weren't terrible at being human beings after all.

 _Now, now, calm down, it's a bit early to be making claims like that,_ she thought sardonically.

"Can you tell us your surname?" San-chan prodded, it was ironic, Erica thought, she had just been thinking how San-chan didn't ask questions and now she had been doing nothing but for the last twenty minutes. This was the first time one of her questions had been answered though.

Kouyuu blinked his large eyes the colour of... well Erica couldn't think of a description word for that particular shade but they were a light brown.

"No," he said, "I'm sorry, I don't remember," he cringed slightly as though he was afraid of being struck, Erica gently squeezed one of his hands with the hand that was still in his grasp.

"Hey, it's okay," she said quietly, "no one here's gonna hurt you. Least of all San-chan, she acts all mean but she's a pushover when you get to know her."

San-chan exhaled in a huff but didn't deny the statement.

In the next half an hour San-chan, with the occasional input from Erica, managed to get that the boy was an orphan named Kouyuu and 13 years old. He was older than Erica had originally guessed, he wasn't small because he was young, he was small because he was malnourished and mistreated. She also got from him that his parents had died in a train-crash when he was six and the gang his father had belonged to had taken him in.

Erica's parents had died in a turf-war and she'd been ten but she understood how he was feeling. For almost half her life, and exactly half his life, they'd been treated like dirt by a gang of people who were an insult to the insult 'monsters.' To then have members of HOMRA butt into your life and try and help you and make things better... well it could be a bit overwhelming –still was occasionally, in fact. She sympathised with Kouyuu's confused expression.

Kouyuu looked out San-chan's window, it was getting dark. "Thank you for your help and for the food but it's getting late. I should go. They'll be wondering where I am."

The tone of Kouyuu's voice implied 'they' would be wondering no such thing and before he could fully slide off the couch San-chan gently took hold of his wrist.

Kouyuu flinched but didn't pull back. Over the last hour he had allowed _Erica_ to touch him whenever necessary but was more wary of San-chan. Erica wasn't sure if that made sense or not, no; San-chan wasn't the one who rescued him from being beaten up but he also didn't know she had crazy fire-powers.

Maybe it was the not-knowing which was making him anxious?

"That's not a very good idea," Bandou said simply.

Kouyuu stared at her for a while and then his shoulders slumped, "yeah, I know." He whispered.

Huh. It was easier to talk sense into a thirteen year old than it had been to talk sense into Erica. But then again, that thirteen year old hadn't been charged with killing someone so of course he'd be less wary around two women than Erica had been around the whole of HOMRA at its height of power.

Well that was Erica's excuse anyway.

"Come on, you can stay here with us until we figure everything out," San-chan made to pull Kouyuu back onto the couch but seeing him yawn she stood.

"Come on, you can sleep in here," she led Kouyuu into her own room.

"He can have my room," Erica called after them, "I'll sleep on the couch." This was San-chan's home, Erica was the one who was imposing and she had been the one who had brought Kouyuu here, she didn't want to kick San-chan out of her own bed.

With a flash of unusual good-humour San-chan looked over her shoulder and smiled at Erica, "no, it's fine. I'm not beaten and bruised _or_ pregnant so I'll be fine on the couch."

Erica glowered at her, guess she wasn't going to be letting _that_ go in a hurry huh?

"Good night Miss Erica," Kouyuu called.

Oh! Right, manners. "Good night Kouyuu," Erica called back.

After finding the boy a t-shirt to sleep in, bidding him goodnight and switching out the lights San-chan came back out and sat on the couch with Erica

She exhaled loudly again but this time it wasn't an faux-irritated sound, just a long, steady sigh that said she wasn't entirely sure what she was doing but was going to keep trying anyway.

Erica had been making that sound a lot herself lately.

"Help me Bandou," Erica said, keeping her voice low, "help me find a job, help me find an apartment. I'll take care of Kouyuu, I'll tell Kouske I'm pregnant, I just need your help, and a little bit more time."

"Well you can stay here as long as you want," San-chan said, "and I know a couple of guys, I'll help you find something. And if you really want to take Kouyuu in yourself; then I'll help you do that too. But if not, we'll figure something out."

Once upon a time HOMRA would have done something together, it would have probably been Mr. Kusanagi and Miss Totsuka who figured something out. But those days were gone now, and they weren't coming back.

* * *

Three weeks later Erica had a job. It wasn't much, just stocking shelves at a local supermarket but she could've kissed San-chan when the older woman called in a favour and got her the job (but didn't because she wasn't big on affection to begin with and especially not when _San-chan_ was involved).

She was still living with the black-haired woman and was really beginning to feel ashamed of her dependence, she probably had enough money by now to make it on her own but she just couldn't find an apartment and things would be harder if she planned to take Kouyuu with her, which she did.

But Bandou was great about the whole thing, she'd been supportive of Erica and of Kouyuu and, aside from sniggering under her breath every once in a while when Erica got queasy at the smell of eggs or something, was supportive of the baby too.

One of the things that bothered Erica was that although she had been staying with San-chan for three weeks now she hadn't seen Shouhei once.

But that was San-chan's issue, and unless San-chan acknowledged it as an issue Erica wasn't going to bring it up, no need to piss the other woman off. She had issues enough of her own to deal with.

Like Kouske.

He'd called her numerous times, at first worried when she didn't come home but then he left her alone when he found out she was staying at San-chan's. Then about five days later he'd called again wondering exactly how long she was planning to stay at San-chan's and w _hy?_ Erica didn't blame him, leaving the apartment for days at a time to stay with _San-chan_ of all people wasn't exactly something she was well-known for doing, and since HOMRA had disbanded it was now even less likely.

Erica was just glad she hadn't asked to stay at Masaomi's. That would have been impossible to explain.

Erica had no doubt Masaomi would have taken her in, for all the brunette liked to act like it, she wasn't heartless. Actually, out of her, San-chan, and Erica herself she was probably the softest out of the three of them. Really, really deep down.

Especially if Erica had explained her secret to her, then she might have a potential ally who actually knew what she was doing. But whatever Masaomi knew, Chitose knew, and Chitose couldn't keep a secret to save his life.

But even though Masaomi didn't like Erica, she would have helped her, of that the blonde was sure.

But without explaining her secret to Kouske, Erica _never_ would have been able to explain it to _him._

Actually, Erica wasn't so sure Masaomi disliked her anymore.

She was aware the brunette still wasn't _fond_ of her, not by any stretch of the imagination, and that was fair because Erica had never done anything to endear her to Masaomi and had no plans for doing so in the future, she didn't particularly like Masaomi either, though that was mostly because the brunette didn't like her. But actual _dislike?_ That may be too strong a term to describe the two women's feelings as of recent months.

Erica didn't know _why_ Masaomi didn't like her but since she and Chitose had gotten together things between them had seemed a bit better, maybe since Masaomi now no longer had to carry around her unrequited love while watching her best friend destroy himself anymore she had mellowed out as a whole, not just towards Erica. Maybe, Erica didn't know.

What she did know was that Erica herself felt great, she was urinating more frequently, experiencing mood swings that were noticeable even in her, a woman whom was often, quite correctly, defined as 'moody' anyway and her breasts often felt tender and swollen which was rather uncomfortable.

But she felt better, just _better,_ she had a job now, she was gaining her independence bit by bit and she was beginning to feel more like she was treading water when it came to the whole pregnancy thing and less like she was drowning in it. She was planning on telling Kouske when she had her own apartment and she and Kouyuu were settled.

That was definitely far enough away that Erica wasn't feeling freaked out by the feeling of impending doom which she got every time she considered telling Kouske but soon enough that the feeling of guilt she was getting from avoiding him and _not_ telling him would only _partially_ manage to eat her alive by that time.

Hopefully.

And he knew where San-chan lived so if he ever popped by to see her...

Well then she was screwed, Erica knew she'd break the minute he asked her if something was wrong. Which he would because something was quite clearly up.

So hopefully he wouldn't feel the need to pop by.

Erica was going to tell him. She just wasn't quite ready to do it yet.

And _maybe_ she was a bit peeved that he had forgotten their one night encounter and was flirting with other girls obliviously while she was dealing with this shit. But only a _little_ bit peeved. Really.

But overall, when she didn't concentrate on the details too much, Erica felt better, Bandou, Kouyuu and several of her new colleagues had commented on a certain 'glow' around her. Erica wasn't sure whether that was the fabled 'pregnancy glow' or if it was just the relief of finally getting her feet back under her but either way she felt good and apparently looked good too.

She and San-chan had read online that apparently lots of women often felt very tired around this period of their pregnancy but if anything, Erica felt _more_ energetic, she didn't know if it was because of the added strength of the Red King which still flowed through her veins or if it was just her, every woman's pregnancy was different after all, but she felt fine. Kouyuu was healing, physically and emotionally, the marks were fading from his body, they were all but gone now and he was more comfortable around both Erica and San-chan.

The mental wounds would take longer to heal but at least no new ones were being inflicted, he was happy now, and San-chan was teaching him how to play the piano on a little battery-operated plastic piano she had bought at the toy store.

Erica hadn't even known San-chan could play the piano until now.

But yeah, things were going good.

* * *

Trust San-chan to shake things up again.

A week after Erica had started work San-chan walked into the living room holding a rather large sheaf of paper, she brandished the papers at them, "good news everyone!"

She snorted, "or, if you have a similar viewpoint to mine on the current education system in Shizume not so good news." She brandished the papers again, "news everyone!"

Erica just gave her a _look,_ "what?" She demanded after a second when San-chan wasn't particularly forthcoming.

She waved the papers around again, "I talked to Mr. Kusanagi about getting Kouyuu enrolled in school, he said he did it. These are all the papers for it."

"We don't have the money for that," Erica pointed out, money was a topic she thought a lot about nowadays.

San-chan flopped down on the couch in between Kouyuu and Erica and waved her hand dismissively, "orphan's benefit or something. I don't know, I'm not Mr. Kusanagi and I'm not an orphan. I don't have a clue."

"I'm starting to think there are a lot of things you don't have a clue about Bandou," Erica murmured, Kouyuu couldn't help but giggle, he seemed to find Erica's curt brand of 'humour' amusing. Because it was so rare to see him laugh San-chan always took the jabs at her with good humour and not her usual whining.

"Well I do know where the school is," she replied, "I'll show you the way there tomorrow but I'm not the one who's going to meet the teacher with you," this last part was said to Kouyuu but addressed to Erica at the same time.

Erica glanced at the sheets, she still wasn't that great at reading but she could manage, she was just a little slow, but after a while something caught her eye.

"I'm listed as the parental guardian," she murmured.

San-chan raised an eyebrow, "well aren't you?"

Erica glanced over at Kouyuu, who was grinning from ear to ear, his enthusiasm was contagious and she found herself smiling back, "I guess so."

Bandou leaned back, "I know so."

In his eagerness Kouyuu all but climbed over San-chan to see the papers, his edginess around the two women had all but evaporated, sitting on San-chan's lap he read the papers over Erica's arm. He didn't understand most of it since his skills at reading were virtually non-existent but there was one part he didn't get for a different reason.

"Why does it say my last name is Solt?" He pointed to a spot on the page and Erica's eyes flicked to it, she hadn't seen that part.

"Well we had to put something," said San-chan a tad irritably, she sighed, "you have no idea the amount of bullshit I had to tell Mr. Kusanagi for this, and I don't think he believed me. Just shut up and go with it."

"I am," Kouyuu assured her, "and I know we had to put something." He paused, "but why Solt?"

Erica couldn't help the happiness from spreading through her chest, "because that's my last name."

* * *

"And I," he shook his head, "I don't really know what to say, most kids Kouyuu's age are kind of over school by now but Kouyuu, he's a model student," Erica smiled at Kouyuu's homeroom teacher, Mr. Machida, he was a young man, mid-twenties perhaps, with dark brown eyes and a kind smile. He was a dedicated teacher and more than happy to update any parent or guardian on their child's status at school if they asked.

"I think he's just glad for the opportunity to go to school," she confessed.

Mr. Machida didn't know everything about Kouyuu's previous life but he knew enough, "I'm glad he has the opportunity too," he said and Erica's heart warmed, anyone who liked Kouyuu was an okay guy in her book.

Erica's phone beeped, "ugh," she looked up apologetically, "that's my alarm, I have to get to work," it had been two weeks since Kouyuu started school and Erica had managed to find a second job and the two of them moved out.

Machida rose to escort her out, "that's too bad, I'd love to continue this conversation," he paused then decided to go for it, "maybe over coffee... Sunday?" He asked shyly.

Erica stopped, was he asking her out? Her first instinct was to say no, romance wasn't on the agenda right now and even if it was she still had feelings for Kouske, then she wanted to laugh at herself. It was coffee, not a church with wedding rings; she was pregnant with another man's baby for crying out loud! Romance was _not_ on the agenda!

It was _coffee.  
_

So instead she smiled tightly, "sure, sounds good."

Machida smiled back.

They walked out together and Kouyuu came running up to her, she ruffled his hair as he hugged her tightly, mindful of the small but well-defined bump hidden by her baggy shirt, "we leaving?"

She nodded. Just then a voice called out, "Erica!"

She looked up and her blood froze in her veins as she saw Kouske jogging towards them, relief and confusion written all over his face in equal parts.

"Oi! You!" Another voice yelled, Erica and co turned to see the man who had been beating Kouyuu striding towards them, fury written all over his face.

Well Hell.

"I don't know why since she's not even here," Erica said mildly as she pulled Kouyuu towards her protectively, "but for some reason I still blame Bandou."

* * *

 **Ah! This update is late! But that's because I've been catching up on Teen Wolf season 5. I'm so confused! What the Hell is happening?!**

 **But this chapter is also longer than usual to make up for it.**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoyed guys, bye!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone, many thanks to my BFF viexon for reviewing and also to the wonderful** **Lykae'Sky and Baraonna for favoriting and NIGHTANGEL21 and Shinade** **for following and favoriting, you guys rock!**

 **Not much to say except to apologize for this chapter (and the next one, and the next one and the next one and probably several more being so late)** **I don't know what's wrong with me, I was doing so well for a while. But I just had no inspiration to write, and then when I finally wrote something my computer crashed and despite the fact that I** ** _had_** **saved my work I ended up back here.**

 **Anyway, the chapter's here now so enjoy! I own nothing.**

* * *

Chapter 3: Excuses

* * *

Erica took a minute to think on her love for baggy shirts, hers hid the bump on her stomach, "just a second," she told Kouske before turning to face the aggressive and enraged man striding towards them.

As the man strode towards them Kouyuu cringed, Erica also bit her lip in worry, not because she was afraid but because of the bad place they were in.

She really, _really,_ didn't want to be called out as a gang member here, she was trying to make a good impression, she didn't want Mr. Machida to see Kouyuu as the 'kid brother' of a member of a gang, especially if that gang was HOMRA (even though HOMRA was technically no longer a gang), so she couldn't use her abilities here.

Of course, she could just beat the crap out of the guy _without_ resorting to her red sanctum but since she was barely, twenty, slender and a woman that would look _slightly_ suspicious, and would still make a bad impression.

Plus, being roughly eleven weeks pregnant she tried to avoid violent physical movement whenever she could.

A non-violent solution to the problem never entered Erica's head, but at the same time the man reached them Kouske drew level with her shoulder.

"You need to leave. Now," said Erica flatly, she looked and spoke to the angry thug but if Kouske thought she meant him then that was good too, but she didn't actually expect any of it to be that easy.

And of course it wasn't.

"You're coming with me!" The man ordered, reaching for Kouyuu's arm, expressionlessly Erica slapped his hand away, it looked like a mild reproach but she put power behind the blow and saw him flinch and bit back a small sadistic smile.

"Sir, this is a school, we don't tolerate aggressiveness here," Machida said firmly, he didn't look intimidated but Erica had no idea how good of an actor he might be.

The man's gaze swung to him, "and who're you!?"

"The teacher. Obviously," Erica murmured, she then decided that drawing the man's attention to her was not her smartest idea but she also decided that she didn't much care.

Machida smiled sideways at her, "I was about to say that, you beat me by about half a second," he told her and Erica smiled back, great minds think alike.

The man glared at her but swung his attention back to Machida, that wasn't very smart of him, she'd already established herself as a clear threat whereas Machida, being a teacher, was unlikely to be a threat at all but Erica didn't really know why she was expecting this man to be smart.

You'd think she'd have learned better by now.

"You had no right to take him from me," the man snarled, his gaze swinging back to Erica, wait, it appeared he had decided to pay attention to her after all.

"I had every right," said Erica, ignoring Kouske's bewildered stare.

Oh she had sooooooooooooooooo much explaining to do.

But she could get to that later.

"Sir, you need to leave now. Aggressive behaviour is not tolerated here." Machida said firmly, putting himself between Erica, Kouyuu and the man.

The man swung his fist at Machida's face, with the preternatural speed of a clansman Erica had ample time to stop the blow before it happened, and made to do so, but, to her surprise, someone else was even faster than she was.

Machida caught the blow and threw the man's arm away from him, twisting as he did so. He didn't break the man's arm but Erica practically _felt_ his arm wrench, that had to be painful.

"Aggressive behaviour is not tolerated here," Machida said again, his voice the epitome of calm, "I am going to have to ask you to leave now." To back up his words the fire of a king's sanctum surrounded his body and ruffled his hair.

Erica's jaw hit the floor and beside her she heard Kouske gasp.

Kouyuu's _teacher_ was a clansman!

And the colour of his fire was green.

The man took one look at the green fire and bolted.

Huh, so he _was_ capable of learning!

"Of all the ways this scenario played out in my head, _that_ wasn't one of them," murmured Kouske, thunderstruck.

"I second that opinion," Erica muttered. She turned to Machida, "you're with..." Her mind blanked.

"Kouske, what's the Green Clan called again?" She muttered to her redhead companion out of the corner of her mouth.

"jungle" he whispered back, sounding as dumbstruck as she did.

"You're with jungle?!" Erica demanded, amazed.

Machida blushed, "more of a part-time clansman than anything else. I'm not very high up. But I hope you won't hold my allegiance against me."

"We wouldn't hold your clan against you," said Kouske.

"Unless you were with the Blues," admitted Erica.

Machida blinked; they weren't going to hold it against him?

No, of course not, because they were members of HOMRA, not Scepter 4.

Machida wasn't exactly sure why, since, as he said, he wasn't a very high up member, but every fighter from Scepter 4 was out for the blood of every single person from jungle, the entire Green Clan was like a collective berserk button for them.

"Oh yes, because you two are from HOMRA, not Scepter 4," he murmured out loud.

Erica frowned, "how do you know we're from HOMRA?"

"Oh," Machida blushed, he was doing that a lot when she was around, "everyone in jungle has heard about you too, you're... on our list of people to watch out for."

Erica and Kouske glanced at each other, they had a _list?  
_

Exactly who and what was jungle really?

Machida saw the look on their faces and laughed nervously, "just in case?"

"And why has the Green King ordered you to keep an eye out for us?" Asked Erica.

"I'm not totally sure," Machida admitted, "I've never met her."

Erica gave him one of her trademark expressionless looks, "you've never met your own king?" She asked sceptically.

"Not many people from jungle have," Machida admitted. He smiled and then checked his watch, "I'll tell you all about it some other time, but right now I'm late for my next appointment so I'm afraid this is goodbye." His smile became apologetic.

Erica nodded, "okay. Are we still on for Sunday?"

Machida affirmed this and bid goodbye to Kouske and Kouyuu. Then he left, leaving the other three standing there.

Erica's eyes slid sideways and met Kouske's, who was staring at her, his eyes were soft, like she was a wild animal he was trying not to startle.

Not a bad description really.

"HiKouskeniceseeingyouagainIguess,sorrybutIhavetogotoworknow,seeyouathomeKouyuu."

Then she bolted.

Like a total coward.

Both Kouyuu and Kouske watched her go with the calm eyes of a couple of people who were well used to Erica's little quirks.

Kouyuu eyed the older man curiously while trying not be obvious about what he was doing, so _this_ was Kouske Fujishima?

"So are you going to go after her?" Kouyuu asked.

Kouske sighed and shook his head, "that's what I was trying to do. Bandou told me she'd be here so I came looking for her. But I've changed my mind. Maybe I'll go after her later; she obviously doesn't want me to right now. It's best not to be pushy with Erica. She'll tell me what's wrong... eventually."

"Yeah, don't hold your breath," Kouyuu advised. Erica had sworn up and down that she would tell him once she'd gotten a job and her own place and both those things had happened, and today she had been given a golden opportunity to do so. And had fled from it like a bat out of hell.

"You should have gone after her just then," he told Kouske, then began to walk home. Let him figure himself out.

Kouske stood there for a moment, pondering, a rather large portion of himself said that the kid was right; he should have gone after Erica.

Kouske blinked, confused. "Hey wait a second. Who was that kid anyway? And what was Erica doing here?"

* * *

"Wow, that sounds terrible," Erica admitted honestly.

Machida laughed, "everyone says that but teaching has its ups too. It's a very rewarding career."

"It sounds like Hell to me, but to each their own I suppose," Erica murmured with her usual deadpan tone, but she was fighting a smile. Machida was much nicer to hang around than she had anticipated, she was really enjoying herself.

But teaching _did_ sound like Hell.

Machida laughed again, "I suppose so." He took another sip of coffee, "so..." he cast around for another topic, the three hours here with Miss Solt had flown by but now he was running out of things to talk about.

"Uh..." crap, Erica couldn't think of anything to say either, Machida was very easy to talk to but she was a terrible conversationalist. Due to her upbringing, or lack thereof, all of her social skills were poor, it made awkward moments like these even worse.

"So," they said at the same time, having both come up with a topic of conversation, then laughed shyly.

"You first," said Erica.

"I was just about to enquire, if you don't mind my asking, about your baby, how far along are you?" Machida asked.

Erica almost spilled her hot chocolate, ah, so he _had_ noticed.

"About twelve weeks," she said.

Machida nodded, "and is this your first child?"

"Biologically," said Erica, they both smiled, thinking of Kouyuu.

"Well congratulations on both accounts," said Machida.

"Thank you," said Erica, despite her occasional bouts of near-panic over the thought of giving birth and raising a child _–what am I doing? I can barely take care of myself, let_ _alone Kouyuu, let alone a baby!-_ she did feel that congratulations were in order. Sometimes there was panic, at others she wanted to dance a jig, _I'm having a baby! I'm having a baby!_ She wanted to sing.

But didn't because Erica singing was about as likely as Yata falling to her knees and confessing her love for the entire collective Blue Clan and her fervent wish to join Scepter 4.

It just wasn't going to happen.

"I admit, I was a little hesitant asking you out here, I was worried you might turn me down because-"

"Because you assumed that because I was pregnant I was taken?" Erica finished, she smiled slightly sardonically but it was light-hearted. "It was a fair assumption but that's not how the world always works."

"Evidentally not." Agreed Machida.

Erica said nothing as she thought this over, she hadn't been sure if Machida had noticed she was pregnant when he asked her out, but one of the things that stopped her from turning him down, just in case he hadn't was the fact that it had been _coffee,_ not something like dinner. Not like it was a _date._ But Machida had been hesitant to ask her and why would you be hesitant to ask someone for coffee? No, usually people were only hesitant to ask when-

"Is this a date?" Erica asked abruptly.

"Do you want it to be?" Asked Machida, not batting an eyelid at the question.

Erica sipped her hot chocolate.

She wasn't sure.

* * *

"Kouske," Erica knocked on the door again, "It's me. Open up, I need to talk to you." She nervously jiggled from foot to foot, this was it, she was really going to do this.

Oh how Erica wished she had taken San-chan up on her offer to go with her!

"Kouske Fujishima if you don't open this door right now I am going to totally lose my nerve and run screaming away from here like a coward and never come back." Erica muttered raising her hand to knock again. Just then the door swung open.

"Hey Erica." Wearing nothing but a pair of tracksuit pants Kouske regarded her with curiosity and no small amount of relief and concern. "Don't you have a key?"

Oh, yeah.

Erica felt her face get hot, "I forgot it," she mumbled.

Kouske ushered her in, the relief still on his face, "I was beginning to think you were avoiding me," he said lightly, trying to joke away his concerns.

Erica didn't make eye contact as she walked past him into the first place she had ever truly felt at home, "avoid, shun, pass up, stay away from, keep clear of, evade, call it what you will, I was doing it." Yes, she knew all these fancy synonyms for the word 'avoid' because she had been doing it for about thirteen weeks now. Ever since they had slept together, before she even knew she was pregnant, though especially afterwards.

"Oh," Kouske's face fell, Erica really _had_ been avoiding him.

Why?

Was it because of...

Before he could ask the question Erica said, "I have something to tell you."

She looked so nervous that Kouske instinctively tried to comfort her; she was leaning against the kitchen bench, hunched forwards slightly, both her hands gripping the bench behind her. Kouske laid his hand over one of hers, Erica's hand twitched under his but didn't draw away.

"You can tell me anything," he assured her with such perfect sincerity that Erica's heart melted a little bit. She wanted to lean against him and have him hug her but didn't because she was pretty sure that was one of the many things that would make her run screaming from the house. She liked the relationship they had _now,_ she didn't want to ruin it.

 _You won't ruin it,_ she told herself comfortingly, _what are you so worried about? This is Kouske._ "It's about... what happened the night of Mr. Kusanagi's birthday."

"You mean the night we slept together?" Asked Kouske bluntly.

Erica nearly choked on her own saliva, "you remember!?"

"Yes, I just didn't want to admit to it at the time," Kouske said, shame-faced.

Erica glowered at him, _was he_ ashamed _that he slept with me?! Well isn't_ that _a nice thing to say to someone,_ she thought, the sarcasm in her thoughts practically visible.

Kouske flinched at the almost murderous expression on Erica's face. "But not for the reason you're thinking," he added hurriedly.

Erica raised an eyebrow.

"I..." Kouske hesitated and then decided to go all out. If he was going to admit to it, he might as well admit to everything.

"I was, am, ashamed because I've been in love with you from the day we met and the last thing I wanted was for the first time we made love to be when we were both drunk and depressed and I'm sorry it was."

Erica cringed, "did you really just use the words 'made love'? Ugh how disgustingly sappy and cliché," she said.

Now it was Kouske's turn to raise an eyebrow, but there was humour in his eyes, "I'm trying to confess my love for you! Could we please stay on topic? And you spend way too much time with San-chan," he added. Sappy and cliché? Really?

"Right, sorry." Then what he'd said truly hit Erica, "you love me?" She whispered.

Kouske smiled at her, there was a hint of nervousness in his eyes, a fear of rejection made worse by Erica's frankly odd behaviour over the last month and a half, but it was barely visible beneath the love and tenderness, "I love you."

Happiness, far greater than anything Erica had expected or experienced swelled in her chest, "I love you too." She swallowed and then forced out the words she had been wanting to and dreading saying for almost ten weeks now.

"Kouske. I'm pregnant."

* * *

 **Oh my God! I updated something! Did ya see guys?! Did ya?!**

 **Well if you're reading this then obviously you saw.**

 **Ugh, I apologize for this chapter guys, well you guys might actually like it but I didn't really. But the action in the next chapter will make up for it, I swear!**

 **And no, that was not a typo, in this universe the green king is also genderflipped and there will be a story on 'her' later. Should be interesting, since we know virtually nothing about Yukari and even less about the green king himself. But I'll do my best!**

 **That's all guys, until next time (hopefully tomorrow)!**

 **Bye!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello everyone, I'm back! This is the second to last chapter, let's make the most of it!**

 **Many thanks to SoullessSky for following and Tina Vainamoinen for following and favoriting, you rock!**

 **My two reviewers rock too! To my best friend viexon: shut up. XD**

 **To the wonderful Gadget: thank you for reviewing, yes, the Green King will get a story too... eventually.**

 **Enjoy guys, I own nothing!**

* * *

Chapter 4: Worry

* * *

When Erica got home she was practically bouncing, even though she had never 'bounced' anywhere in her life. She didn't think she'd ever felt this good. He loved her, _Kouske_ really actually loved _her!  
_

Kouske wanted to have Erica and Kouyuu around for dinner later so the two males could officially meet, Erica was going to bring it up with Kouyuu right now. She really hoped they got along, she didn't see any real reason why they _wouldn't,_ Kouyuu and Kouske were two of the sweetest people she had ever met, but she was still nervous.

But actually nervous in a good way. This was something to look forward to.

Erica had just got off the phone with Bandou, "I told him," she'd said the second the older woman picked up the phone.

"What?" Asked a bleary voice on the other end, "told who –oh!" The sound of comprehension dawning on her friend.

"Yes, _oh!"_ Drawled Erica with a roll of her eyes, but she was smiling.

"Give me a break, I've only been awake for half an hour," said San-chan with a yawn, "so, I take it that it went well," it was phrased as a question but it actually wasn't, there wasn't any doubt in San-chan's mind that it would have gone okay. "You're lucky, you know that?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah, I know," said Erica honestly, "and I wasn't worried, I was just... nervous." That was a lie and she thoroughly expected San-chan to call her on her bullshit.

She wasn't disappointed, "you're a lying piece of crap Solt," was the black-haired woman's immediate response, making another smile break across Erica's face.

"Yup," she agreed.

They chatted amiably about small things and hung up once Erica reached her building. Erica climbed the stairs (she was on the second floor) feeling as though the sun itself was nesting in her chest.

The minute she saw her door she knew something was wrong, the door wasn't shut or just ajar, it was wide open, the inside light was on.

Kouyuu should have gotten home before now but he wouldn't have left the door open, not a option, even before Erica cautioned him he'd had stranger danger imprinted on him rather heavily, there wasn't a chance he'd have been that negligent, especially if she wasn't home.

She ran up the last few steps, all of her senses kicking into high alert, she was probably overreacting and everything was fine, but until she was sure that was true she was going to stay on edge.

Erica peered around the open door and saw nothing; there was no one there, "Kouyuu!" She called, no answer. "Kouyuu!"

Her heart stuttered.

She moved from the living room to check her bedroom and Kouyuu's, the bedside table was knocked over in her foster son's room, the lamp smashed on the floor beside it.

Erica's blood ran cold.

Her vision greyed and she felt like she was going to faint, her hand instinctively went to her stomach and she sat down on the bed, hard.

This was probably just an accident, Kouyuu was thirteen and not quite grown into his body yet, he knocked things over all the time, it wouldn't really surprise her if that was what happened here.

Then where the hell was he?

Erica's hand fumbled with her phone as she cursed her own stupidity, she pulled out her phone and hit Kouyuu's number, her phone rang, so did the one under the bed.

With slight difficulty Erica knelt and retrieved her son's cheap phone from under her bed, her hands trembled; she sat down on the floor.

Erica used her own phone and called Bandou again, "Um, San-chan... i-is Kouyuu... with you, by any chance?"

On the other end of the line San-chan felt a chill shoot up her own spine, "no. I haven't seen him since last time you two came over, was I supposed to?"

"I-I can't find him, I came home just after we got off the phone and th-the door was wide open," despite her best attempts to stay calm Erica was stuttering and her heart was clenching in terror, she felt clammy now and with it she was beginning to feel ill.

For all of San-chan's many faults, she was practical, "sit down," she ordered calmly.

"I am sitting," said Erica.

"Then lie down," obediently Erica walked on shaky legs into her own bedroom and lay flat on her back on the bed, she couldn't help the small sarcastic smile that played across her lips, "happy? Now could we _please_ focus on my _missing son?!"  
_

"Are you sure he's missing? Could he be staying at a friend's house or something?"

Bandou's question made sense but Erica immediately shook her head anyway, even though she knew the black-haired woman couldn't see her. "Not without calling or texting me first."

"Well can you think of any reason he would have left willingly?" San-chan asked.

Erica's voice shook, "no."

"Well can you think of any reason he would have left unwillingly? Anything that could've happened to him? Anyone who might have t-taken him?" San-chan heard her own voice crack and she was sure Erica heard it too.

"His old gang," said Erica at once, "I mean the one his parents were with, they were pretty mad that I took him and there was this one guy who kept finding us and he knew where Kouyuu went to school and oh my God why didn't I take better care of him I should have known this would happen and-"

San-chan cut her off now that Erica's voice was getting hysterical and her words were running together.

"Calm down, we'll figure this out," despite the severity of the situation San-chan couldn't help but dwell on how much her friend had changed in the last few months.

Now she was truly a mother through and through.

"Yes, because we're so well known for our ability to plan and execute those plans flawlessly," Erica's voice was practically _dripping_ with sarcasm and San-chan rolled her black eyes behind their lenses, okay, how much she had changed _in some ways._ In others she was exactly the same.

"So what do we do?" Asked Erica.

"Have you called the police?" Asked Bandou logically.

"The... police?" Erica wanted to slap herself in the face, she hadn't even _considered_ calling the police, that said something about their current way of life.

"No," I'll do that now," she said.

"Good, I'll check Kouyuu's school, call Kouske and have him meet you at your apartment, call the others too if you have to."

"Okay," they both hung up without saying goodbye.

Before she called the police Erica used Kouyuu's phone to call Hotaka Fukuoka, Kouyuu's closest friend and the only one he frequently hung out with outside of school. He told her he hadn't seen Kouyuu since they'd gone their separate ways walking home. Erica hadn't expected him to say otherwise but losing that brief, irrational stab of hope hurt like Hell and left her more panicked, Erica gritted her teeth and reigned it in. She told him Kouyuu was missing and requested he ask around their circle, he agreed and she thanked him and then hung up.

Fingers trembling, she dialled the police.

When a voice on the other end of the line answered Erica hesitated, not because of her natural distrust of authority (helped in part by Scepter 4), but because she actually had no idea what to do or say.

"H-hello?" Erica tried, that seemed like a good start.

She told them what had happened.

* * *

"Daiki," Tatsuya Enomoto of Scepter 4 caught the sleeve of Daiki Fuse, her co-worker and boyfriend of almost six months.

He looked back at her, noticing the worried expression in her olive green eyes, well, Tatsuya always looked slightly worried about something (usually Hidaka) but now he knew something was genuinely bothering her.

"What's wrong?" He asked, setting a sheaf of papers down on his desk.

Enomoto held up the headset she'd been wearing a second ago, "a woman just reported her younger foster brother missing, the case seems fairly straight-forward but the woman calling said her name was Erica Solt."

"Hmm," Daiki frowned, that was the name of one of the late Red King's inner circle, and if he remembered correctly they did have information that one of them had taken in a young teenager, Lieutenant Awashima had helped the bartender second-in-command, Kusanagi or whatever his name was, set it up.

Fuse sighed, "what are the chances it's a different Erica Solt with a different foster brother?"

Enomoto smiled, "this is HOMRA we're talking about."

Fuse sighed even harder, "so no chance, I thought so."

She nodded, "I checked, she's with Homra.

He offered her his hand and she took it, rising from her chair.

"We don't have anything that really needs doing so we might as well check it out," Fuse said, they put away the things they had been using and headed for the door. "Even if it's not technically our job I feel morally obliged to look into this. I wouldn't trust HOMRA to take care of a fake potted plant."

* * *

Erica was just leaving to meet up with Kouske and San-chan when two of the Blue's, one male, one female, walked up to her. Erica sighed through her nose, she really did not have time for this!

It was okay, they probably didn't know who she was and would just walk straight by her.

They stopped, "Erica Solt?" The male asked.

Damn, why couldn't _anything_ just go her way right now?!

"Why do you want to know?" She asked.

"Because you just reported your foster brother as missing, we'd like to help you find him." The man replied.

Erica jerked back, how the Hell did they even know about that?!

Oh please, they were Scepter 4, they knew everything.

Well, jungle would probably beg to differ, but Scepter 4 knew _almost_ everything. _  
_

"Why would you two want to help me?" She demanded suspiciously.

"Scepter 4 is responsible for dealing with Strains and clansmen, you qualify as both." The male said, he had brown hair with a greenish tint that was cut scruffily down to the back of his neck with two long locks framing his face and grey eyes. His female companion was a couple of inches shorter with jet black hair pulled into a ponytail, also with two long locks on either side of her face and olive green eyes behind thick lenses. They both looked vaguely familiar, Erica was sure they'd been there during the 'Ashinaka High School Incident,' maybe she'd even fought one or both of them, before she'd become possessed by the Colourless King, that was, she hadn't done much fighting after that. Erica shuddered at the memory.

"And how the Hell do I qualify as both?" Erica growled, her already frayed temper beginning to wane once again, she didn't have time for this, these two were in her way! Her son/brother figure was missing! She didn't have time to deal with these stupid Blues!

However, if they were offering help, Erica couldn't just turn her back on them. For Kouyuu's sake she needed all the help she could get.

 _'Beggars couldn't be choosers,'_ a saying Mr. Kusanagi had once quoted, it applied to her situation now.

"A 'Strain' is the definition of a being who possesses supernatural power without receiving it from a King, or an ex-clansman who no longer follows a King, you qualify as the latter," the male said bluntly, Erica's hands balled into fists. So, they thought she and hers unattached to a King, did they? Mikoto might be gone but they still followed him!

Seeing Erica's anger the woman stepped forward, placing her hand on her companion's arm, "please, we don't know what's happened to your ward, he may not have much time, we can argue later but for now, please just hear us out, we only want to help."

 _Beggars can't be choosers,_ Erica's mouth tightened, "fine." Then, even though they were simply doing their job and would probably rather be miles away she grudgingly added "thanks."

Quickly Erica told them everything, her meeting Kouyuu, the incident at his school, his teacher being a Green Clansman. And she didn't miss the way both Blue's spines stiffened when she said the word 'jungle,' looked like the rumours were true, the Blues and the Greens did not get along.

When she finished, the pair looked at each other.

"Hmm..." said the woman, touching her chin thoughtfully, "we have been having a lot of trouble with jungle lately. Low-ranked members who don't know their King's true goal, however..."

"It's more likely that the previous regular gang is the cause of this, assuming it isn't a completely unrelated abduction." Her companion finished for her.

Erica felt nauseous and she almost swooned at the word 'abduction.'

The blue woman saw this too and tentatively, as if she was afraid of being burnt (which she probably was), she reached out and covered one of Erica's clenched hand's with both of her own. Erica flinched, but allowed the contact.

"Come on," the Blue said gently, "let's go meet up with your friends and we'll co-ordinate what we need to do, everything will be okay."

* * *

Bandou ducked under a crowbar, barely looking she sent the guy flying with a sweep of red fire, this situation, these gang members, reminded her of the time one of Shouhei's friends had been kidnapped and he had tried to rescue her with San-chan's help. Things had turned out okay then but this time Bandou hoped they turned out better.

She didn't have her clan to help her anymore after all.

She reached the last room, the main room of the abandoned warehouse and yanked the door open. She gasped.

* * *

Both their swords drawn, Fuse parried an attack from a fire-covered aluminium baseball bat while Enomoto rammed the hilt of her blade, Tatsuya's sword, into his ribs. When the Green Clansman doubled over Fuse used his own sword, Steel, to knock him out. The two continued onwards.

"I thought the Green's didn't have a headquarters for regular clansmen, at least not in the same way we do or HOMRA did," Fuse said, ducking under another attack.

"I don't think this is even theirs, I think we've been set up," said Enomoto, swinging her blade, a trail of blue fire followed the metal.

"Yeah, I think you might be right," Fuse agreed.

"I can be right occasionally," said Enomoto, the ghost of a smile on her lips.

The two made it inside the building and stopped dead at what they saw.

* * *

Kouske held Erica's hand tightly in his as they approached the door of the severely run-down and neglected house, "just stay behind me," he said and she nodded.

They reached the door and Kouske appeared to reach for the old-fashioned door knocker, then red fire surrounded his hand and blew the door open, it stayed attached to its hinges but only because Kouske wanted it to, they didn't want to risk any potential innocents, let alone Kouyuu, but the sound of the door smashing against the wall sent three men running, all with guns.

Despite his warning to stay behind him and her subsequent agreement, Erica found herself stepping forward.

"I'm here for my son," she said, her barely-controlled rage an undercurrent to her every word. Her own sanctum swirled up to cover her body. All three of the men drew back.

Two more men entered the room and Kouske gasped when he saw who was with them.

Erica felt all the blood drain from her face.

* * *

Back at Scepter 4 Headquarters Himori Akiyama glanced at the empty seats nearby, with puzzlement. "It's Kamo's day off but where are Enomoto and Fuse?" He asked no one in particular.

Andreana 'Andy' Domyoji looked up from her keyboard, "they left a little while ago, they were saying something about an emergency call to the police and the Red Clan."

Himori frowned, since the death of their King the Red Clan had been laying low, so why...?

"Did the Red Clan _make_ the emergency call or was the emergency call made _because_ of the Red Clan?" He asked.

Domyoji shrugged, "dunno," but Akiyama had a bad feeling about this.

"Can you see where they are now?" He asked the redhead. Andy minimized what she was doing and then tracked Enomoto and Fuse's PDA's. Her cheerful attitude flew out the window when she saw where they were.

She and Himori glanced at each other for a second then wordlessly sprinted for the door.

They had to save their Clansmen before it was too late.

* * *

 **Done! Let me know what you think guys, next chapter is the last chapter, bye!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow, this chapter is over a page longer than my usual limit, I feel so proud of myself! Except not really.**

 **Anyway! Many thanks to all my viewers, especially my bff viexon for favoriting even though I know you only even bothered because I wouldn't stop talking about the fic and the trouble it was giving me.**

 **And also many, many thanks to AlexandriaSummer for following and your review that made my day, I'm so glad you liked it! And it's not betrayal, it's... yeah... well it's not betrayal!**

 **Hope you all enjoy. This is the last chapter for this fic guys so an extra thank you to everyone for reading this far! Enjoy!**

 **I own nothing.**

* * *

Chapter 5: Home

* * *

"Shouhei, what the Hell are you doing here?" Bandou demanded.

 _"Me?"_ Retorted her childhood friend, heedless of the fact that there was a gun a few centimeters from the middle of his chest, "what are _you_ doing here?"

"I'm looking for Erica's foster son/brother," said San-chan, heedless of the gangsters whose gazes were swiveling back and forth between the two of them like they were watching a tennis match.

Shouhei blinked, "Erica's _what?"  
_

San-chan raised her eyes to Heaven in a give-me-strength gesture that no one noticed because of her huge black sunglasses. There were not enough hours in a day to deal with Shouhei's shit. What was he even doing here?

"Why are you here?" She asked him again.

"I dunno, these guys just came up to me on the street, shoved a gun in my face and said that if I didn't start walking they'd shoot." Said Shouhei with a shrug, not looking particularly concerned.

"And you just went with them?" Asked Bandou incredulously.

"Well I was scared they'd shoot someone who didn't have supernatural powers," Shouhei confessed, rubbing the back of his head in that boyishly charming way of his.

Well that was fair enough, San-chan supposed.

The gangster with the gun seemed to remember that he was supposed to be threatening Shouhei he poked him with the gun, "put the crowbar down bitch or your boyfriend gets it."

"He's _not_ my boyfriend!" Yelled Bandou, blushing furiously.

"Did you have to use that tone?" Asked Shouhei, deflating a little.

"Shoot him," San-chan begged the gangster, "please."

The man didn't seem to know how to respond to that.

Shouhei sighed, with supernatural speed he twisted around and grabbed the gun, he jerked the muzzle upwards so it was pointing at the ceiling harmlessly when the man pulled the trigger, he heated up the metal until the man screamed and dropped it. San-chan threw her crowbar at the man, it hit him directly on the forehead and he went down like a rock. Bandou didn't think she'd killed him but he was going to have one Hell of a headache when he woke up.

Shouhei took out two of the men and San-chan kicked at a few more, a trail of fire followed her leg.

She and Shouhei met in the middle of the room after all the gang members lay unconscious around them, "so, how long has Erica had a kid?" He asked.

"A while, you'd know that if you were ever around," said Bandou in a scolding tone.

Shouhei gave his apologetic little laugh that made San-chan want to rip her own hair out again, "sorry. It's been a hectic few months."

Yeah, didn't she know it? She nodded, "well Erica took in a kid a few months ago when she was living with me."

"Why was Erica living with you?" Asked Shouhei, puzzled.

"Long story," Erica would probably be alright with San-chan telling Shouhei about her pregnancy but San-chan decided to wait and let Erica do so herself. It was more entertaining that way.

"You gonna help me or what?" She demanded.

"Of course!" He exclaimed, indignant that she would even ask.

She and Shouhei headed towards the door together, "so..." why did these guys try and kidnap you? Did they know Erica or I would be coming her or...?" She trailed off, this didn't make any sense.

"I keep telling you; I. Don't. Know! They just grabbed me," Shouhei exclaimed.

"Only you would get yourself in so much trouble so randomly," said Bandou, rolling her eyes.

"That's not fair!" Shouhei protested.

"It's the truth!" San-chan yelled back.

* * *

Enomoto and Fuse looked at each other. Fuse touched the writing written on the wall.

 _Dear HOMRA or whoever was unfortunate enough to be lured here,_ the words read. _If you are reading this please note that you have completely fallen for our trap (or alternatively simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time) this building is rigged to explode, it is a time-delayed version of the lightning-bolt jutsu, you might be familiar with it._ The 'lightning-bolt jutsu' was a common, almost a signature, move of the Green King or other high-ranked jungle clansmen, Enomoto and Fuse in particular were rather familiar with it. Some jungle bastards had almost taken Hidaka's head off with one the day Kusahara had died. It was a technique where several clansmen pooled their power together and the result was a lightning bolt of green fire that destroyed anything it touched. Thus the name. jungle was nothing if not practical with naming things.

 _We have nothing against you personally, but the world of rising clans is no place for ex-members without a King._ Fuse's hands balled into fists, the Green Clan was lucky they were the ones reading this note and not actual members of HOMRA because those trigger-happy Red bastards had killed for lesser insults.

Well, maybe not _killed_ but at least seriously injured for lesser insults.

 _Goodbye, former Red Clansmen.  
_

Enomoto tore her eyes away from the (horribly rude) note to look at Fuse, "come on, if this place is going to explode we need to get out of here while we-"

The thick steel doors slammed shut.

"-still can," she finished mildly.

Fuse swung his sword in the direction of the door. A blue arc of fire followed the path of his blade and sped towards the door, when it reached the metal a green shield of sparkling lightning-like fire appeared and blocked the blow.

Enomoto swung her own blade at the wall opposite the door, once again the green fire that was under the control of those with jungle appeared and blocked the blue fire from the Scepter 4 Clansman.

Fuse and Enomoto glanced at each other, they were completely boxed in but it couldn't compare to the strength of two higher-ranked clansmen who were actually at the scene, not just sending in energy through their PDAs or phones or whatever kind of sneaky, underhanded yet frankly very efficient technique jungle was using these days. They'd get out. If they weren't blown up first.

Just then, both their phones rang.

* * *

"Let him go," said Erica, her voice very soft, her eyes fixed on the gun pointed at Kouyuu. When a member (or ex-member as Scepter 4 seemed to believe) of HOMRA had a gun pointed at them or a knife pressed to their throats it ranged from being an outright laughing matter to a minor annoyance, not so when an innocent was being targeted. Erica knew that if she had a gun pressed to her temple and someone pulled the trigger she would be able to get out of the way in time.

But if this man pulled the trigger on Kouyuu there was nothing she could do, there was no way she would be able to reach him before...

She swallowed, "let him go," she repeated.

Kouske's eyes flicked from the man holding Kouyuu to one of his accomplices who was also drawing a gun, he aimed it at Erica.

"I'd aim that gun at me," he told the man clutching Kouyuu, Kouske noted idly that the boy didn't look scared, he looked _furious.  
_

 _Oh he is definitely Erica's son,_ Kouske thought. "Point the gun at me," he said again. "If you shoot us you have nothing to worry about. If you shoot him then you have nothing." He didn't add that he and Erica would murder them brutally, no need to scare them or make them panic completely, scared and panicked men did unpredictable, often stupid things.

"Come on, shoot me," he urged. Like Erica he would have ample opportunity to get out of the way if a bullet was fired, or to simply use his aura to burn the bullet before it touched him but this man probably didn't know just how strong the members of HOMRA _really_ were (or he never would've targeted them for any reason), Kouyuu didn't have that luxury.

The man hesitated; Erica could tell he was thinking it over, "what do you want?" She asked, "you can't have risked making an enemy out of all of HOMRA just to get Kouyuu back, why are you doing this?"

"We were told," one of the men began hesitantly, "that if we held the kid hostage we'd get at least a few of you to walk into our traps, and if we did that then we'd be rewarded."

Erica and Kouske glanced at each other out of the corner of their eyes, "what traps?" Erica demanded.

The man with the gun's face was shining with fear, but also triumph, "the trap at out second warehouse and _their_ headquarters."

"San-chan's at that warehouse right now," Erica told Kouske.

Kouske glared, "what traps?! And who are _they?"  
_

"jungle," answered Erica before the men could, "those two guys from Scepter 4 said they were heading to a warehouse that they believed belonged to jungle."

Kouske's glare intensified, Erica didn't think she'd ever seen him look that angry, "what. Traps?"

"W-we don't know, they just said to lure you there and then there'd be less of HORMA to worry about."

Erica gritted her teeth, she didn't need to ask who'd told them this, it was obvious, there was only one group who would have means and motivation to do something like this. Those two guys from Scepter 4 had been right to be suspicious, jungle was behind this.

"Reward you how?" Kouyuu asked, speaking for the first time, he had been following this conversation with interest.

"By making them Clansmen," Kouske guessed, "I'm right, aren't I?"

Erica swore softly, they needed to get Kouyuu, San-chan and those two Scepter 4 members out of this right now. She turned her attention back to Kouyuu, "don't worry Kouyuu, we're gonna get you out of here."

Kouyuu gave her a small smile, "I know you will, I'm not scared."

Erica gave him a small, encouraging smile back, Kouyuu had put all of his trust in her, she couldn't let him down now.

"Just give us Kouyuu and we'll both walk out of here peacefully," Erica said, these men weren't _that_ stupid, they knew what she was really saying was 'give us Kouyuu and we won't burn you until neither blood, nor bone, nor ash remains.'

However, they had just admitted that they'd helped set up a plot to capture and kill some of their friends, these men were quite certain –not entirely incorrectly- that Kouske and Erica wanted them dead for that. They could swear they would leave peacefully if they were given Kouyuu but their word meant precious little.

It was a standoff, if they did anything to hurt Kouyuu, Erica and Kouske would kill them all, however if they just handed him over there was no guarantee Erica and Kouske wouldn't kill them anyway, HOMRA, even just its remnants, wasn't to be messed with on a good day, after you had just admitted to being involved in the potential deaths of some of their members... yeah Erica could understand their doubts. Morons. This plan obviously wasn't supposed to end with these gangsters unscathed, but Erica really doubted jungle cared.

Erica rested a restraining hand on Kouske's shoulder, "Kouske and I are going to walk out that door now," she said, keeping her voice low and calm, "when we reach the sidewalk you're going to let Kouyuu go and he's going to join us. Then you're free to do whatever you want. If you harm a single hair on his head we'll kill you all," Kouyuu shivered in spite of himself, he was no stranger to violence but to hear it stated so casually in Erica's calm voice, a voice which had only ever been kind to him, was another matter entirely. "If you do as we say, everyone gets out of here alive, if not..." she didn't finish the threat but she didn't need to.

"You should do what she says," Kouyuu advised the men kindly, they all agreed with him.

"Alright," said the leader with the gun, nodding at them.

It took absolutely everything Erica had to take a step backwards and away from Kouyuu, she didn't want to, her every instinct was screaming at her not to. But she couldn't act with her instincts here, she needed to use her brain.

"Everything will be alright," she told him again, and he nodded.

She and Kouske backed out the door and didn't stop until they were on the street in front of the house. A few seconds later Kouyuu came out of the house, looking shaken, but unhurt.

Erica grabbed one of his arms gently and Kouske put his hand on Kouyuu's other shoulder. Together the three of them walked quickly away from the house, when they reached the end of the street they sped up and didn't stop moving until they were three blocks away.

When they stopped all three of them were shaking. Kouyuu gave a slight whimper and hugged Erica tightly, mindful of the baby bump at her middle, "I knew you'd come get me," he whispered.

Erica blinked back tears as she hugged him back tightly, "it's okay, we're okay."

But they couldn't stay in their own little world forever, she looked up, "call Bandou now," Kouske already had his phone out and was dialing as she spoke, "she needs to get out of there, right now."

* * *

Shouhei and San-chan reached the door San-chan had come in through, however when she reached for the handle San-chan's hand was scorched by a tongue of green fire. She and Shouhei glanced at each other, "that wasn't there before," said San-chan unnecessarily, Shouhei could've guessed that on his own.

Just then Bandou's phone rang, she pulled it out and glanced at it, "it's Kouske," she answered and pressed the phone to her ear, "did you find him?" She demanded immediately.

"San-chan we found him but you need to get out of there _right now,_ it's a trap!"

They both heard what Kouske said and their gazes flicked to one another, they both cursed mentally.

"Well we're trying but we're sealed in with green energy or some shit," she explained.

Kouske swore, San-chan actually pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it, she had _never_ heard Kouske swear before!

"Break the building apart if you have to, I don't care what you do, just get out of there, and do it quickly." He said. He paused, "wait. Who's 'we'?"

"Shouhei's here with me," the black-haired female replied, "long story."

Kouske almost cursed again but, thinking of Kouyuu and Kouske's own unborn child (when could babies start hearing things around them, he wondered), he held it in. "Get out of there right now."

Bandou hung up on him, she glanced at Shouhei, she didn't need to ask if he'd heard all that, it was obvious he had.

The two of them both tried attacking a wall next, usually either one of them would be able to blow a hole in a wall with little effort but no matter what they did the green fire blocked their own powers; however, it appeared to be weakening. But would it weaken fast enough? What would happen if they couldn't break it? Would they just be stuck in here until it let up? Would it let up? Or would something more sinister happen to them if they didn't get out of here quickly enough?

* * *

Tatsuya and Daiki both answered their phones but they both had similar requests.

"Sorry Akiyama, I can't really talk now, can this wait until later?" Fuse asked.

"I'm sorry Domyoji, but can I call you back in a minute? I'm quite busy," said Enomoto regretfully.

"Fuse don't hang up the phone!" Himori Akiyama yelled.

At the same time Andy Domyoji shouted, "Enomoto don't you dare hang up!"

Enomoto and Fuse both paused, Enomoto hoped Akiyama and Domyoji were together right now, because if not; their strange ability to predict what the other person was about to do was getting seriously out of hand. Fuse broke out in a nervous sweat, something was _very_ wrong, Akiyama never shouted.

"What is it?" They both asked.

"Are you and Enomoto still at 1651 Amano Street?" Akiyama demanded, Fuse's eyes slid to meet his girlfriend's and then away, what was this all about?

"Ye-es," he cautiously drew out the word, "we're working an abduction case with-"

"Get out of there RIGHT NOW!" Andy yelled so loud Fuse could hear her from Enomoto's phone, "Scepter 4 just intercepted an emergency call to the police from people claiming they were from jungle, they said the building is going to explode, the police thought a bomb but I doubt it will be that simple. Get! Out! Now!"  
Enomoto hated to be the bearer of bad news, especially when Domyoji was so worked up but someone had to tell her, "We know that, but we're kind of trapped."

* * *

From the driver's seat Akiyama glanced at Domyoji in concern out of the corner of his eye, she looked like she was about to burst a blood vessel, the two of them reached the building and tumbled out of the car.

* * *

With a timed attack from all four of them, Enomoto and Fuse from the inside of the building, Domyoji and Akiyama from the outside they managed to break through the wall of green fire and break the door open. Fuse and Enomoto tumbled out and the four of them scrambled to a safe distance before they collapsed, Akiyama grabbed Enomoto's shoulders and shook her, "what is it with you and crazy bastards who like to blow people up?" He demanded.

Domyoji, who was unusually pale-faced and was clutching Fuse's sleeve in a death grip huffed a shaky laugh, Enomoto raised an eyebrow, her face remarkably composed, "this one was _not_ my fault."

She pulled out her phone and called that blonde HOMRA woman, Solt, she needed to know Fuse and Enomoto hadn't found her kid.

After being thanked for their help and told they had found Kouyuu alright, Fuse got to his feet again, dragging Domyoji with him as she had yet to let go of his sleeve, "come on, we need to go back and seal of the building while we wait for the rest of Scepter 4 to get here." He stretched down a hand to help Enomoto up.

She smiled and took it, "no rest for the wicked, huh?"

He smiled back, "don't let those little shits from HOMRA hear you say that. No need to validate what they think of us."

* * *

"There!" Erica grabbed Kouske's arm and pointed. They could see a faint flash of red light under a roller door ever so often. "Let's go," she started to move forward but this time Kouske grabbed her arm and Kouyuu grabbed the other, stopping her. "What?"

"You're not going near there, what if it does explode?" Kouske gave Erica's stomach a meaningful glance, whenever she went into danger now she wasn't risking just her life. It hadn't been so bad before; because the chances of her actually getting hit or shot by a regular gang member was... low, to put it mildly. But an exploding building was a very real threat, never mind one that was charged with the power of the Green Clan.

Erica growled, "but I can't leave you three!"

Kouske kissed her cheek, "sorry love, you don't get a choice this time," he nodded at Kouyuu who wrapped his arms around Erica in an attempt to keep her from moving, she could have broken free, but she didn't.

Kouske ran down to the building, Erica watched with bated breath, if the Greens struck now she would lose three of the people she cared about most.

But they didn't, eventually the three of them managed to break down the door and came running back towards Erica and Kouyuu, Erica's body was vibrating with tension, just ten more steps, then her friends would (probably) be safe, nine, eight, seve-

And then a bolt of green lightning-like fire hit the building and it went up in a ball of fire.

Kouske was knocked right off his feet, Shouhei and San-chan grabbed each other and managed to stay upright. Erica felt the shockwave from where she was standing, she put one arm around Kouyuu, the other around her stomach, this was less like an ordinary lightning strike and more like a lightning strike and a bomb together.

Assholes.

But then it was over, Erica quickly crossed over to Kouske and he picked himself up, she hugged him tightly, not even bothering to hide the fact that she was shaking, he could have died tonight, him and Kouyuu and San-chan and Shouhei, the four people Erica cared about more than any other, alongside her unborn baby.

"It's okay," Kouske whispered to her, "we're okay."

"I know." Erica pulled back and looked him dead in the eye, she'd said it before but she had to say it again, "I love you." She broke away and turned to hug Kouyuu again, "come on, let's go home."

As they were leaving Scepter 4 arrived, the bespectacled female and her companion whose names Erica had totally forgotten were with them, Erica nodded, they nodded back and let them leave without incident.

They hadn't gotten very far when Shouhei spoke, "okay, I'm totally in the dark, what the hell was all that about?"

They told him.

"But that was a stupid plan!" He exclaimed, "if jungle really wanted to blow us up they did a piss-poor job! All they managed to do was scare us!"

"Well maybe that was their real plan all along?" Suggested Kouske logically, hands in his pockets.

San-chan scowled, "well they didn't scare me, they just managed to piss me off!"

Kouske looked over Kouyuu's head at Erica and shrugged, she shrugged back, "okay, maybe _that_ was their plan all along?" He suggested.

Something grey and shiny caught Erica's gaze out of the corner of her eye, she walked over to it, it was a PDA, still working... with the jungle app open on its screen.

She froze, what were the chances of this? Her just happening to find a PDA on the street with the jungle app on it and the words **New Mission: Lure the HOMRA members into the abandoned building at 2173 Fukasawa Street,** on its screen? Pretty damn low would be her guess.

Then again, it could be nothing, the jungle app and their missions weren't exactly hard to come by.

"What's up Erica?" Shouhei called.

She pocketed the PDA, they'd deal with it later, "nothing, I'm coming.

She left.

* * *

Some miles away a woman in her mid-twenties watched Erica leave the with the PDA, on a large screen, laughing softly to herself. Yukari Mishakuji entered the room, his smile as lazy and carefree as always, "I'm back," he said softly, the words were simple but everything that came out of his mouth seemed teasing, "and what are you up to Nagare?"

The Green King, Hisui Nagare laughed again and idly trailed a silver-painted nail across her wheelchair, "nothing, nothing. I'm simply playing a game to pass the time..."

* * *

 **Done! Gosh darn it to heck! I meant to have this chapter up days ago but... no... I have absolutely no idea what happened with this chapter. It was... strange. I hope you enjoyed it anyway.**

 **So what's the deal with the Green King? Is he (or in this case; she) paraplegic or quadriplegic? He's in a straight jacket so even if his arms work he can't use them (except apparently when I say so) but if that's the case then why have a touch pad across your lap? He can't control technology with his mind or something can he? Because if so, I am out. I am so done with this guy and he hasn't even come into the anime yet.**

 **That's all for this fic guys! I hope I see you again. Goodbye!**


End file.
